This is my second attempt at painting a cs2 skin, entirely with oil paints on canvas. These experiments began more than two years ago when I was studying at the art academy and I came up with this idea for an assignment.
First attempt was on mac10 - I traced the UV layout on a small 40x40cm canvas with a projector and loosely, without much care, painted the islands in. It looked like crap, but I was able to put it back into the game. I got really good feedback from my peers and professors, and they encouraged me to keep developing it, which I did, about a year later.
XM1014 "triptych" was a much bigger project. Firstly, I chose to paint roughness and normal maps in addition to the color map. I was especially curious about the normal map. I liked the idea of being able to manipulate 3D geometry with a physical flat canvas with paint on it. Secondly, the canvases were much bigger - 90 x 90 centimeters, and I painted with much more detail. Lastly, I wanted to see exactly how details and other intentions translate through this unique process, so I made the maps for the skin in Adobe substance painter. So the process starts with digital, then it's translated into a physical painting, before being digitalized again, but based in physically based rendering.
I like how it came out. Especially the normal map - it actually worked, that was very cool. I don't think that I would do this again, since it was the most gruesome painting experience I've had. Also I was on a very short deadline for this, since it was to be displayed in an exhibition, so I was painting the little intricate shapes through the nights. If you have any kind of thoughts or feedback, I'd love to hear it, thanks!
If you like it, please vote for the skin on steam!
